Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
American *
Bucknell Volleyball Comes up Short Against American, 3-0
10/14/2006 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 14, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell battled in all three games, but came up just short as the Orange and Blue fell to American, 3-0, in Patriot League volleyball action on Saturday evening in Davis Gym. The loss left the Bison at 13-10 overall on the season and 4-3 in the Patriot League, while the Eagles remained undefeated in league play at 7-0 and improved to 15-6 overall.
Junior Jenna Henderson (Elk Grove, Calif./Laguna Creek) led Bucknell in kills with 11 and added one service ace and five digs. Sophomore Emilie Hardinge (Darien, Conn./Darien), senior Sarah Groman (Hollister, Calif./San Benito) and senior Jennie Smith (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry) tallied seven kills apiece, with Groman and Smith contributing four blocks each and Hardinge chipping in with two. Smith hit a team-high .462, as well, with just one error in 13 attempts. Sophomore Shannon Pitsch (Oak Brook, Ill./Fenwick) recorded 33 assists and senior Kristen Sydlowski (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) totaled a match-best 16 digs.
For the Eagles, Rubena Sukaj paced the offense with 19 kills and hit .395 (19-4-38), while also posting 10 digs. Ann Recht followed with 10 kills and hit .714 (10-0-14) with four block assists, Tara Stradling led the squad with 11 digs and setters Christina Nash and Maile Krauss registered 20 and 23 assists, respectively.
In game one, the Bison held a 12-9 lead when American went on a 4-0 run to climb in front, 13-12. Then, with a one-point lead again at 21-20, the Eagles went on to close out the frame with a 9-2 run for a 30-22 victory.
Bucknell found itself in prime position to take game two with a three-point advantage at 28-25, but American held the Orange and Blue scoreless for the remainder of the game to go ahead 2-0 in the match with a 30-28 result.
In game three, the score remained close with neither team pulling ahead by more than three, until the a service ace by Chelsa Brooks gave the Eagles their largest lead of the game at 20-24, which would hold up for American in a 30-26 win to clinch the match.
The Bison will be back in action next weekend, Oct. 20-21, with Patriot League matches at home against Army on Friday and Holy Cross on Saturday, both scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
